Melissa Joskow / Media Matters
A new landmark report from a United Nations scientific panel warns that humanity is rapidly running out of time to take the unprecedented action needed to prevent horrific impacts from climate change. The report, released on Sunday night at 9 p.m. EDT by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was covered by a number of major media outlets the following day. CNN reported, “A sobering major report on climate change warns that we could be careening toward catastrophe.” The New York Times noted that the report “paints a far more dire picture of the immediate consequences of climate change than previously thought.” The BBC reported, “It's the final call, say scientists, the most extensive warning yet on the risks of rising global temperatures.”
But Fox News aired very little coverage of the report on Monday.
In morning coverage, Fox skipped the climate report but found time to criticize Taylor Swift
Fox did not air a single segment that mentioned the U.N. report in its coverage from 4 a.m to noon EST on Monday. In contrast, CNN spent more than seven and a half minutes on the report over that period, and MSNBC spent more than four and a half minutes.
While Fox couldn't spare a moment from its morning lineup for climate catastrophe, the network dedicated more than nine minutes to pop star Taylor Swift's Instagram post endorsing two Democratic candidates in Tennessee and encouraging people to register to vote. Fox hosts and guests criticized Swift's post and argued that she didn't know enough to weigh in on politics.
In prime-time coverage, Fox skipped the climate report but found time to criticize Indigenous People's Day
Fox's nightly prime-time shows on Monday also completely neglected to mention the report.
Host Tucker Carlson did make a mention of pollution, but he meant the pollution of the public sphere by liberal ideas. Guest Cesar Vargas, an immigration attorney, greeted Carlson with, “Happy Indigenous Peoples Day.” Carlson responded, “Don't pollute the show with that nonsense. It's Columbus Day, pal, come on.”
Carlson also made time to read lyrics from John Mayer's song “Your Body Is a Wonderland” and call toxic masculinity “some made-up, dumb feminist term.”
Fox covered the climate report just twice on Monday
During Fox's “Special Report With Bret Baier” on Monday evening, host Baier spent about 30 seconds during a news rundown giving a straightforward overview of the report.
“Shepard Smith Reporting” on Monday afternoon spent about two and a half minutes on the report, kicking off with Smith saying, “Climate change is real, the situation is urgent, and time is running out. That's the new warning from a landmark United Nations report.” But Smith's summary of the report was followed by Fox correspondent Trace Gallagher using right-wing talking points to argue against taking the dramatic action that scientists say is needed:
Gallagher: Even outside scientists who acknowledge that something has to be done to prevent the planet from warming say the goal laid out by the United Nations is really unreasonable because it would mean draconian cuts in emissions and dramatic changes in the way that we use energy, meaning extremely high gas prices, a lot more regulations, and putting governments right in the middle of decisions on how people utilize their private property. As you noted, the authors say that these goals really are a long shot. The conservative Cato Institute called some of the conclusions absurd. But former Vice President Al Gore praises the report, says he believes technology is the answer but we need to rely on solutions available today.